The Joys of being a promoter final chapter

[NIALL]

Having returned from the most tiring week of my life. After having busted my guts to lay on a show and a half. I read the forums and to be honest I can't believe what I see. Jeeez .H.

A lot af dedication went in to making this year Campaign Cup. Those who helped me put it together are like me exhausted beyond recognition. Some of the crap which has been posted on these boards is an insult to their efforts.

If this is the way it is then forget it guys. I've got far better things to do.

For the record.

The lack of media attention referred has got us onto Reuters worldwide. We Should be on Transworld Sport this Saturday AM. We have already been on several London Radio stations notably XFM .

We are not allowed to put Posters up in the borough of Bromley. They will rip them straight down. So I got AA put signs all around the vicinity this was all I could do.

As for the marshalling. Thankyou to all those who marshalled. I hope you felt looked after. Its a **** job. Every one knocks your efforts but very few will make the effort to do the same as you. Sincerely thankyou.

As for Crystal Palace itself. Sorry you had a bit longer walk than if we set up in a field, BUT This is the home of Sport England, Paintball has been given a stamp of credibility by its association with CP. Amazingly we have outgrown this venue, and who knows what the future holds.

Just like some of my friends in the industry, I am looking long and hard into whether its worth making this effort again.

Hope the knockers are happy

Niall

 

[sjt19]

Originally posted by NIALL
Those who helped me put it together are like me exhausted beyond recognition. Some of the crap which has been posted on these boards is an insult to their efforts.

Im still knackered, but it was worth it. I thought that it was a great event and the guys who made it happen should be praised.

Congrats to the main guys, Niall, Jim, Jeff, Col and Joey especially. To all the other staff you did a great job! Respect.

Ignore the small minority who are voicing their discontent, they are lashing out to cover their own poor performances.

CC2K3 What a success!

 

[ukace]

campaign

Nial dont listen to a few guys on here ranting ,cause they couldent cut it with the best teams, theres no moans from the guys in the no, everyone I spoke to had a great time, roll on next year

 

[Baca Loco]

Originally posted by NIALL
Just like some of my friends in the industry, I am looking long and hard into whether its worth making this effort again.

Hope the knockers are happy

Niall

Quick, kids, hat in hand line up to apologise or else--no more tourney for you.

 

[QuackingPlums]

I heard the mentions on XFM on my way to/from Crystal Palace every day, and if someone can tell me when Transworld Sport is on I'll make sure I don't miss it!!!

I think without a doubt that this event has been the best event I've ever been to. Does it get better than this? If we ever lost it then it will be a sad loss not just to British paintball, but to paintball as a whole.

 

[goose]

Niall - the big man with the plan....

First off let me say as usual, when taken as a whole - a first class event.

But after talking to many people this weekend, and believe me there where many who wanted to "open their hearts" - there where a few things that where repeated time and again.

Campaign Cup - good things....
The field design this year was the best it has ever been - no more games decided by chance.

Better air set-up, no more noisy players area.

Good signage to the site - don't really know how much more you could do. Sure we all want to huge billboards - but at what expense??

Campaign Cup - gripes... (only the really valid ones)
Insuficient netting around fields - to many bouncers over the top and too many balls through corners etc.

Scheduling/job getting teams ready to play. I believe games as much as 1 hour or more behind by the end of the day. If the number of games can't be done in that time - then either cut the number of teams or run the games later to give better time in between.

Players area - while one of the best in the series (indoor, dry, a floor that won't break your neck) it is too cramped. I beleive that this might be the reason for so many missing pieces of kit. It's just easier to hide your actions when things are so close together.

Stolen stuff... see above. I think in the future the series might see teams rebelling against teh "teams must stage in the players area" rule.

Not enough naked women - oops never mind. That was covered last year

I'm not gonna touch on the reffing - that is a general series problem and should not be hung on the CC2003. It is a bitch for the organizers to get teams to do the job (hell we don't want to do it anymore), so you and you crew cannont be held responsible. HOWEVER something needs to be done - and I look forward to helping you try to find a solution.


Before signing off, I just want to say once again, I think you did a great job - unfortunately I think you are victim of your own success. People have grown accustom to the CC showing major growth from the year before (hell it was only 5 years ago that it was in a cow pasture). You have got it down to such a science, that from now on the changes will be much more subtle, and probably lost on the general player.

As my favourite announcer - Will "Willrocks" Arroyo would say - "Mad props and much respect to you and your crew, for laying down the crazy tourny action - FO SHIZZLE"... now if you can just get more naked women - oh forget that one again.


You are the man!!!


goose

P.S. Colin, Joey, my new bar buddy Beard, Camille, Karlijn and all the rest who I have no idea who your names are - good job, keep pushing the Big Man so that everything is perfect next year and then let's see what people bitch about.

 

[Robbo]

Niall, don't sweat it mate, the genuine people who have voiced their concerns over some aspects of the tournament will be listened to, the others who talk sh!t and claim it to be the 'worst judged tourney ever' are idiots and will be ignored by everybody.


If they don't like it that much, then don't fackin come next year, they can organise their own tourney, organise their own judges and face up to the harsh realities of tourney promotion.

The vast majority of people think you did a great job and understand the problems associated with putting on an event like this.

Now the irony of this is startling because what are these people really bitching about ?
They are bitching about the judges, who are these judges ?
They are players like themselves.
When a team elects to judge an event like this Niall has to rely on their integrity and competence, he has no frikkin choice for god's sake !!!
The vast majority of us players have not been trained as judges so tournament promoters and players who are playing the event have to rely on these people as there is NO OTHER OPTION at the moment.
Now if they fack up, for whatever reason, it's down to the judges on a personal level.
Niall can't run round giving them instant training or morality courses.
If some sap tells Niall, he has been playing for five years and is willing to judge the event, what is Niall to do, put them on a lie detector ?
Run a competency assessment class for each and every judge ?
Run a morality test to check for bias?
Let's face it, even novice players know the basics and I can quite easily forgive incompetence but not bias.
But how the hell can Niall check for incompetence and / or bias before he says 'yes' to them judging?
As the tournament runs, Niall can monitor problems via his head judges who were Steve from True Colours, Moose and Ralph.
Believe me, any one of those would have had nipped any problems in the bud if they had come across any of this nature.
I personally saw no bias at this tourney, I'm not for one second claiming there wasn't any but I have heard that accusation so many times when in reality it's merely a smokescreen for a team's or individual’s own incompetence.
I mean, it's much easier to blame a judge for bias than facing up to your shortcomings as a player...well for some people it is anyway.
The problem with incompetent judging is OUR problem because WE are the judges....let's not forget that.
Niall's responsibilty was to put a suffcient number of judges on the field, he did this without questoin, if you want to blame a promoter think about a promoter who only puts three judges on a field because he's too tight to pay or organise more.
In that instance you can blame the promoter for the judging but not in this one, no way, last year's world cup had two sometimes three judges trying to cover two ten man teams.
Niall had more than enough judges allocated to each field, from that point on, it is the responsibility of the individual player / judge to perform professionally and fairly.
So, all you people screaming at Niall, go round the houses of the judges you think screwed you, and at least direct your vitriol in the right direction.
For me, the vast majority of judges were competent, polite, strict and impartial, Niall is not responsible for the dicks who weren't, we are !

 

[cjansen]

Huge Thank You

Niall - The Campaign staff were excellent to us, and we were glad to be a part of the Campaign Cup marshalling crew. We got everything we asked for, and then some, and we appreciated every bit of it. Paul and Cameron, who were working the chrono for us, and getting teams to the field, were awesome. Great guys, and always on top of everything. Everybody from Campaign made our lives as easy as possible, and it didn't go unnoticed.

As far as we could see, it was a top notch event, and we would have loved to be playing instead of marshalling.

Cheers, and thank you, from New Russians.

 

[Heaven]

Niall as far as we are concerned the Tournament was the nuts.

Great fields
Good marshalling
Good atmosphere

Overall one of the top tournaments i have ever been to, and I have been and marshalled some of the top European tournaments and the campaign cup has always been the best.

GREAT JOB AND THANKS TO NIALL AND THE CAMPAIGN CREW.

 

[Wadidiz]

The event was off the hook!

1. The best collection of fields I've ever seen
2. Efficient, friendly and professional staff
3. Attention to the important details such as checking IDs, clothing, paintballs, etc.
4. An incredible sense of massiveness of event, especially in the stadium, that makes one think PB has arrived
5. Great air systems: never got a fill less than 4000 psi

...and much, much more already mentioned.

Concerning judging: Niall went to great lengths to ensure good judging. He went to the trouble and expense to bring in a substantial quantity of top-level relief judges (who performed fantasically, by the way) and he went to the expense of paying for top judges for the Nations Cup games that guaranteed no discussion of bias in the final game.

Campaign Cup was one of the best events ever staged in many, many ways with some of the most exciting games I've ever seen in both X Ball and 7-player.

Nothing but the highest respect to Niall and his magnificent crew.